The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder intent to sell in Southern Connected System for the first time

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015 - Waterfind Australia

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) released an intent to trade 20,000 megalitres (ML) of Goulburn temporary water on September 21. This is the first time the CEWH has confirmed a selling intent to trade water in the Southern Connected system. This announcement was released as part of the CEWH’s quarterly trading intentions report and applies to the October – December period.

The CEWH’s intended 20,000 megalitres (ML) would represent less than 3% of the total volume traded to date in the Southern Connected temporary market during the 2015/16 season. Despite announced allocations being lower this year, more than 600,000 ML has been traded since the start of the season, in July 2015. It is Waterfind’s experience that in times of medium to dry conditions a high percentage of allocated water is traded as irrigators actively manage their water use requirements. It is estimated that the proposed sale volume constitutes approximately 19% of the CEWH’s current available temporary water holdings in the Goulburn.

Alister Walsh, Waterfind CEO said that “irrigators will likely welcome the decision of the CEWH to take these first steps in engaging with the market and more actively managing their Southern holdings.”

Whilst this is the first activation in the Southern Connected system, the CEWH has previously sold temporary water in the Northern Murray Darling Basin, in both the GWYDIR and PEEL River systems.

The CEWH reinforced its plan to not trade permanent water entitlements.

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Waterfind is a pioneer in the water market industry. The company has a strong focus on innovation and quality systems, which underpin their highly personalized service offering.

Established in 2003, Waterfind developed a quality endorsed water market system that expanded from a local focus on water supply and demand, to a national market that covers key agricultural industries and investors. At present, Waterfind facilitates the buying and selling of both permanent and temporary water across the major irrigation regions of NSW, QLD, SA and VIC.